10/04/2026
BILLY "BILL" GENE KLAVER
Billy “Bill” Gene Klaver of Belmont, Kansas, passed away on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas. He was 70 years old.
Bill was born on March 19, 1956, in Kingman, Kansas, to Eugene “Pat” Klaver and Georgia Hamilton Klaver. He was a 1974 graduate of Norwich High School and a 1978 graduate of Emporia State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science. He was a proud member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Kansas Epsilon Chapter.
Bill worked as a wellsite geologist in Claremore, Oklahoma, before returning to Wichita, Kansas, where he worked for Pickrell Drilling. He later left the oilfield and worked for the Farmer’s Co-op Elevator at their Norwich and Cheney locations. Bill returned to the oilfield in 2006, working for Woolsey Operating Company as a wellsite geologist until his retirement in 2023.
In 1983, he met the love of his life, Donna McCarty, in Wichita, Kansas. They married on August 31, 1985, in Ashland, Kansas, and celebrated 41 years of marriage in August. In 1991, Bill and Donna moved to Belmont, Kansas, where they raised their three children: Kelsey, Emily, and Samuel.
Outside of work, Bill enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Always known for his sense of humor, he loved playing practical jokes on any gullible friends or family members. A recent favorite pastime of Bill’s was sneaking off to visit his grandkids, then bragging to an unsuspecting Donna with picture proof. He had a love for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, collecting rocks during his travels, crossword puzzles, and storytelling with his brother, nephews, and cousins.
Bill was a member of the Kansas Freemasons, Harper Lodge No. 206, and Midian Shriners. He was also a longtime member of the Kansas Geological Society.
Bill was preceded in death by his father, Pat Klaver; father-in-law, Donley McCarty; mother-in-law, Marjorie McCarty; and brother-in-law, Carl Durr.
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Donna, of Belmont, Kansas; mother, Georgia Klaver, of Kingman, Kansas; daughters, Kelsey (Daniel) Delp of Goddard, Kansas, and Emily (Clint) Drosselmeyer of Belmont, Kansas; and son, Samuel of Belmont, Kansas; sister, Deborah Durr of Belmont, Kansas; and brother, Michael (Angela) Klaver of Belmont, Kansas.
Bill is also survived by the true pride and joy of his life, his grandchildren: Eleanor, Luke, and Jacob Delp, and Hazel Drosselmeyer. As well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and an abundance of other family and friends.
Family will receive friends during a public viewing on Tuesday, October 6, from 5–7 p.m. at the Norwich Methodist Church. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 7, at 10:30 a.m., also at the Norwich Methodist Church. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Belmont.
Memorials may be made to SKP and Friends, to provide scholarships to non-traditional students, or the Norwich High School Alumni Association, in care of Livingston Funeral Home, Kingman, Kansas.
